Pierpaolo Piccioli’s recent couture show earned him a standing ovation. “There were tears!” is how a colleague described it to those of us watching from back home. Reflecting on its success today over the phone from Rome, Piccioli described the collection—each piece was named for the craftsperson who made it—as “both personal and universal.” That’s a good way to think about the most eye-catching elements of the designer’s Red Valentino offering for Fall. The coded messages—inspired by Cold War–era cryptography, of all things—express intimate feelings that all of us can understand: L0V3 Y06, M155 Y06, F0RG37 M3 N07. Slogan clothing has become ubiquitous—chalk it up to our existential search for signs and meanings, or just blame Instagram—but the Red Valentino team gets props for its unobvious approach.

The messages appeared intarsia’d on the back of a fisherman’s sweater and stamped down the arm of a Perfecto, among other places. Piccioli said he’s keen to make this little sister label “less fragile,” which explains the emphasis on great-looking military outerwear, wool jean jackets (some with elongated proportions), and a singular oversize puffer. For the customer who shops Red Valentino for pretty dresses, there was one in particular that stood out, with a plissé paisley skirt and a lozenge-embroidered bodice.